25
Rafa Pummels Blanch: Child Abuse In Madrid
6 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
Rafael Nadal earned a rare ATP win this year with a 60 61 annihilation of 16 year old Darwin Blanch of USA.
Rafa is almost 38 years old and the second greatest player of all time. Blanch? He’s ranked outside the top 1000 and not even the best junior in the world today (that’s Joel Josef Schwaerzler of Austria, who just beat JJ Wolf at Savannah Challenger 62 61).
It makes little sense why Blanch was given a wildcard into Madrid Masters 1000 when he hasn’t accomplished anything in the pro ranks yet. I can name probably a hundred other players who deserved the wildcard more than the highly touted but inexperienced Blanch.
At the US Open last year Blanch wisely declined a wildcard into US Open qualies because he knew he wasn’t ready for the big stage yet. Miami Open gave Blanch a main draw wildcard but he was beaten in straight sets by Tomas Machac. Blanch hasn’t won a junior Grand Slam yet but he did reach semifinals at Wimbledon and French Open in 2023.
Today proved Blanch is not ready for the big stages of tennis, especially the overwhelming task of facing a desperate, ferocious 22 Grand Slam winner who is urgently trying to sustain and extend his dying career.
As expected Nadal was merciless and abused the youngster, losing only one game. Blanch missed a return on the final point and was visibly annoyed by the agony of the brutal loss as he refused to make eye contact with Nadal though he did pat him on his front side, a token gesture of respect for the TV cameras and optics.
It’s a giant shame Blanch had to endure this sacrificial lamb ceremony for Nadal and the bloodthirsty Madrid audience.
It’s a shame Nadal couldn’t find a way, with all his ATP experience, to somehow restrain himself from abusing a child on a professional tennis court.
Let’s hope the career and spirit of Blanch were not irreparably damaged by this devastating, embarrassing and humiliating loss inflicted by a once great now mediocre journeyman level player who should have retired a year ago.
.
Babolat · Darwin Blanch · Mutua Madrid Open · Nike · Rafael Nadal
Douglas Day · May 4, 2024 at 11:53 am
I want to propose that the man who dominates the toughest surface wins should be “weighted” as such. Due to clay’slowness and sliding the resulting longer points brings a broader (perhaps cardio-laden) talent field. So Nadal’s 13 French titles have distinction if not equivalence with Djokavic’s 23 majors.
Scoop Malinowski · May 4, 2024 at 8:10 pm
Doug I reread your comment 3x and still can’t figure out the point? ) A grand slam is a grand slam. Rafa is not the complete player Djokovic is and
it’s not even close. Uncle Toni failed to coach Rafa to be better on faster and indoor surfaces and grass.
Douglas Day · May 4, 2024 at 10:32 pm
Im making the case for specialization like Sampras serve on grass. Except those are free points. Nothing Rafa did took the racquet out of the opponents hand.
What does it say that could Rafa win on all surfaces while no one could really touch him on clay in 5 sets?
Douglas Day · May 4, 2024 at 10:41 pm
Put another way, which record will fall first? 24 majors or 13 French Opens?
Scoop Malinowski · May 5, 2024 at 8:22 am
Both records are untouchable. Though Rune has boldly said he’s gunning to break Rafa’s 13.
Scoop Malinowski · May 5, 2024 at 8:23 am
It’s silly to excuse Sampras serve on grass and a serve bot free point generator. Everyone would serve like Pete, Isner and Ivo – IF they could. Take guts, courage, talent and incredible athleticism to serve like that, especially under pressure.